The advocates from Minneapolis, who are practicing in the field of human rights, and the Director of the BGRF, Genoveva Tisheva, are meeting representatives of  Bulgarian governmental institutions and NGOs, judges and attorneys-at-law on the local levels, with the purpose of studying the need for amendments in the Law on Protection against  Domestic Violence.

During the meeting with the Vice-Minister, different issues were discussed in relation to the implementation of the law and the National Campaign for Combating Violence against Women, including Domestic Violence. The Vice-Minister informed the guests about the activities of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP) in the field, in regard to the Action Plan within the Programme for Prevention and Protection against Domestic Violence for the period 2007-2008, with the activities and events under the National Campaign.

Mrs. Hristova stressed the fact that Bulgaria is one of the few countries which adopted in 2005 a special law for protection against domestic violence in which the rights of the victims are regulated, as well as the protection measures and procedures for the implementation of these measures. The responsibility under this law does not exclude the civil and criminal responsibility of the aggressor.

In addition, the Vice-Minister explained that the action plan of the MLSP provides for studying the effectiveness of the law’s implementation, as well as elaboration of draft amendments to the Law on Protection against Domestic Violence.

Published in: Vice Minister Hristova Meets American Human Rights Advocates Visiting Bulgaria, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Press Release, 17 July 2007.